A 36-year-old woman has been arrested in the United States for assaulting a taco vendor in Los Angeles, police say. The incident - which shows the woman getting out of her car assaulting a shopkeeper and then driving away without paying for the food - was recorded and posted on social media.
The defendant, identified as Renee Latrice Hines from Bakersfield, is said to have been fired after her employer discovered the viral video. She is working as a temporary contractor at Yusen Logistics America, a global supply chain company based in New Jersey, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
According to police, Renee has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and is currently being held at the Los Angeles County Jail.Â
The incident happened on Sunday night at Taco Ortiz - a business owned by Joana Vasquez. When Vasquez asked Renee to pay for the banh tet, Renee got angry. Police arrived on the scene at 6:35 p.m. and confirmed that Renée "punched and pepper sprayed" Vasquez, according to a police statement.
A Taco Ortiz employee recorded the incident with his cell phone and shared the video on Instagram the next day.
The video shows Renee aggressively approaching Vasquez, throwing a bottle at one of the employees, and assaulting Vasquez. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics treated Vasquez's injuries. Â
Â
